Creativity CafeCommunity Forum

You have come upon a meeting ground for creative spirit on a transformational path. We invite you, dear "Storyteller Of The New Millennium," to share a tale and offer a suggestion to nurture creative spirit. What techniques do you use to overcome the challenges of our rapidly changing and complex world?

Upon first joining Pixar in 1987, Rick Sayre wrote shaders and built awide variety of warping, painting and image processing tools. When hejoined the animation production group, he served as Technical Directorand Production Software Developer on several commercials. On Toy Story,he did character modeling, articulation and shading, and also built someof the tools and infrastructure for those tasks. He then worked on ABug's Life as Shading Supervisor.

Aside from his work at Pixar, Rick has done the design and development of innovative animation input devices for other feature films, as wellas his own theatrical projects. He is co-founder of "Amorphic RobotWorks," a kinetic sculpture / machine-art collective in San Francisco.

In 1997, Rick received a Technical Achievement Award from the Academyof Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ("sci-tech Academy Award") for thecreation and development of the Direct Input Device (co-award withindividuals from ILM and Tippett Studios).

In 1992/93, Rick received an NEA grant for "Trigram," a robotic operawhich he co-produced and co-directed.

In 1992, he co-produced and developed a commissioned interactive robotictheatre installation for "The Robots '92" festival in Japan.

In 1991, he received the Prize of Distinction at Prix Arts Electronicafor "The Tumbling Man," an interactive installation built with ChicoMacMurtrie.

In 1986, Rick co-produced and directed a music video shown on MTV.

Rick received his B.S.E.E. degree from the University of California atBerkeley and studied film at the University of California at Davis.

______________________________ Janet LucroyLighting Director

Janet Lucroy began her career at Pixar as a Technical Director and didlighting on A Bug's Life. Currently, she is Lighting Director and isworking on lighting development for future projects. Otherresponsibilities include master lighting, shot lighting and team lead.

Prior to Pixar, Janet was a graduate instructor of 2D design(traditional media) and 3D computer graphics at Ohio State University. She did web design and multi media design for both OSU and IndianaUniversity.

Janet received a B.A. in Fine Arts - Studio and Minored in Art Historyat Indiana University. She received an M.F.A. in Art and Technology atOhio State University.

______________________________ Glenn McQueenSupervising Animator

Glenn McQueen started at Pixar in 1994 as an Animator on Toy Story. After Toy Story, he worked on A Bug's Life as Supervising Animator. Healso directed commercials at Pixar, as well as a series of shortsfeaturing the Toy Story characters for ABC TV and Disney.

In 1984, after graduating from Sheridan College in Oakville, Canada,Glenn started working at the Computer Graphics Laboratory at the NewYork Institute of Technology (where he received a BsC). He started asan animator and left as the Manager of the 3D Production Group. In1990, Glenn started working as a Senior Animator for the CharacterAnimation Group of Pacific Data Images. There, he worked on commercialsand film effects, and won a primetime national Emmy for The LastHalloween, a children's television special.

Bill Reeves joined the computer division of Lucasfilm, Ltd. in 1980 asproject leader of the systems group and a member of the computergraphics group. In 1982, he invented a new image synthesis technique,particle systems, that enables the generation of very complex anddetailed images. From 1982 to 1986, he worked as project leader of themodeling and animation group. In 1986, Bill joined Pixar as head ofAnimation Research and Development. His film credits while atLucasfilm, Ltd. and Pixar include: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,Return of the Jedi, Young Sherlock Holmes, Luxo Jr. (1986 Academy Awardnominee), Red's Dream, Tin Toy and Knickknack. In 1988, Bill receivedan Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his work as technicaldirector on Tin Toy. He received his B.S. in math from the Universityof Waterloo in Canada and his M.A. and Ph.D. in computer science fromthe University of Toronto.

______________________________ Bill ConeProduction Designer

Bill Cone worked as Production Designer on A Bug's Life, and on ToyStory, he was a Designer and Digital Painter. Prior to Pixar, Billworked on color styling and set design for Nightmare Before Christmas. He also worked on layout and design for television projects at ColossalFilms.

Before entering the world of film and television, Bill was a staffillustrator for the San Francisco Chronicle and a freelance illustratorfor several other publications.

Bill graduated from the Art Center College of Design.

========> 3D Design & Animation Conference & Expo Donor announcement:

!!!! ATTENTION !!!!!!! SFSIG, Tuesday MAY 11 Event, WILL NOT BE at Fort Mason.

Pre-register!! at the show web site (www.3dshow.com) for FREE admissionto the Job Fair (10-6), the Expo floor (10-6), the Welcome Reception(4:30-6) and the Keynote Speech by Rob Legato, Creative Director, DigitalDomain (9 am).

The conferences classes are awesome including: The Cartoon Laws ofPhysics, Complex Human IK in Softimage, Power Modeling in LightWave,Color Theory, and much more!